January 3. “Button, like the four of us in this family, my maiden family also had four members—

My father, mother, my sister and me. It was a very close knit family and, at breakfast this morning before my ma left for Kolkata, we were having a slice of plum cake baked by my brother-in-law and discussing this whole process of baking cakes which was a tradition in my earlier family to bid adieu to the old year and welcome the new year in. We got all the ingredients ready—cut, chopped and cleaned dry fruits, etc, and a baker would come around the 30^th or 31^st of December, make the batter, put them in aluminium baking trays and carry them off to the bakery to be baked in clay ovens. Till this day, I remember the faces of the 70 year old baker and his son who were regulars at our home in Kolkata from the time we were kids. I don’t know where they are or what’s become of them as I have moved to another city and, the cakes my sister and brother-in-law bake is at home—one at a time—in an electric oven.”

“Amazing. But why did you say there are four members in this family? Why am I not included?”

“You are a very dear member of this family, including Rani and Mowgli.”

“Thank you. You must be heartbroken as your mother is returning to Kolkata?”

“The house will feel somewhat empty. And, since she is 83 going on 84, anything can happen! But she’s a strong girl.”

“I heard your elder daughter lovingly call her Suzi.”

“My daughter has this habit of nick-naming people with very funny names.”